We are the Manheim Area Water & Sewer Authority (MAWSA) providing water and wastewater services to Manheim Borough, Penn Township, and Rapho Township in Lancaster County, PA.
If you would like to get in touch with us, either contact us or call our office at 717-665-2737.
Contact Information
Contact Manheim Area Water & Sewer Authority with our “Contact Us” form or call our office at 717-665-2737.
You may be looking for the below, these services are not us, but their information is provided below:
- Manheim Borough can be reached at 717-665-2461 or at www.manheimboro.org
- Penn Township (Drinking Water) can be reached at 717-665-4508 or at penntwplanco.org
- Rapho Township can be reached at 717-665-3827 or at www.raphotownship.com
- Manheim Township can be reached at 717-569-6408 or at www.manheimtownship.org
- Police Department can be reached at 717-665-2481 or at www.manheimpolice.org
- Fire Department can be reached at 717-665-3661 or at www.manheimfire.com
- United Way – PA 211
- PA One Call – “Are You Digging or Planning a Dig?” – Call 811 or “Submit Request”
Who We Are
Manheim Area Water & Sewer Authority (MAWSA) is a small, self-operating, non-PUC regulated, municipal water and wastewater Authority supplying approximately 3,100 water and 2,300 wastewater customers in the Manheim area (Manheim Borough, and portions of Penn and Rapho Townships, in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania). Incorporated on October 26, 1939, our mission is “to provide safe and reliable water and wastewater services in an efficient, cost effective and environmentally friendly manner resulting in a high level of satisfaction among our customers.”
We are run by an appointed Board of 7. There are 5 representatives from Manheim Borough, 1 from Penn Township, and 1 from Rapho Township. The board members make up several committees, and oversee an administrative and service team, as well as partner with professional service entities to fulfill the mission “to provide safe and reliable water and wastewater services in an efficient, cost effective and environmentally friendly manner resulting in a high level of satisfaction among our customers.”
WHAT WE DO
Serving a variety of customer types such as; residential, commercial, and industrial, we also receive and treat an average of 83,000 gallons of hauled waste from multiple haulers and sites.
WATER PROCESSING
The water plant processes an average of 600,000 gallons of water per day (GPD) with a permitted capacity of 1,063,000 GPD.
MAWSA utilizes 2 wells drilled into the Eplea formation aquifer, which lies approximately 200 feet below the Earth’s surface. Raw water is drawn, treated and stored, for transmission to our customer base. Having a safe source of water supply is very important to what we do, and we encourage all to protect ground water sources. Learn more about source water protection here, and more about water testing and quality here. For the 2024 Lead & Copper Water Line Survey Results click here.
WASTEWATER PROCESSING
Sewage treatment is a multi-stage process to renovate wastewater before it re-enters a body of water. The goal is to reduce or remove organic matter, solids, nutrients, disease-causing organisms and other pollutants from wastewater. Each receiving body of water has limits to the amount of pollutants it can receive without degradation. Manheim Area Water & Sewer Authority Wastewater Treatment Plant must hold a permit listing the allowable levels of BOD, suspended solids, coliform bacteria and other pollutants. The discharge permits are called NPDES permits which stands for National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System. Final treatment focuses on removal of disease-causing organisms from wastewater. Treated wastewater is disinfected by adding chlorine.
The wastewater plant processes an average of 800,000 GPD with a permitted capacity of 2,300,000 GPD hydraulic and organic capacity.
TRUCKED IN WASTE
MAWSA’s wastewater treatment plant can receive both Standard and Non-Standard Waste based on an approved permit.
Standard Waste: septage, holding tank, portable toilet, and municipal sludge
Non-Standard Waste: landfill leachate, wash waters and condensates, industrial sludge and wastewater, miscellaneous waste, and industrial holding tank
Processing and disposal of sludge is one of the most serious problem encountered in wastewater treatment in terms of environment, technology and budget. Sludge stabilization and associated cost represents a major part of the total cost in any wastewater treatment plant, it can account for 50-60% of the total expense of wastewater treatment plant operating budget. Sludge arising during treatment of municipal wastewater presents a valuable source of organic matter, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and some trace elements. Wastewater treatment plants’ optimum solution for disposal of sludge is in agriculture.
MAWSA is committed to the environment and uses land application for its sludge disposal. The Authority operates under PA DEP NPDES permit for disposal of Class “B “sludge.
Interested in participating in our hauled waste program? Click here to learn more.
ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY
The treatment process produces a sludge which has to be disposed of. MAWSA’s sludge is specially treated to allow the end product to be utilized for land application, which is more environmentally friendly than landfill disposal. Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) regulates use of sewage sludge in agriculture to prevent harmful effects on soil, vegetation, animals and humans. In particular it sets maximum values of concentrations of heavy metals and bans the spreading of sewage sludge when the concentration of certain substances in the soil exceeds these values. Land application of raw or treated sewage sludge can reduce significantly the sludge disposal cost component of sewage treatment as well as providing a large part of the nitrogen and phosphorus requirements of many crops.
Our Board Members
Members of the Board – 5 Year Term
Chair: Robert Miller, CEM – Manheim Borough Rep. – 12/31/2025
Vice Chair: Robert Swayne, Jr – Manheim Borough Rep. – 12/31/2026
Secretary: John Haldeman – Rapho Township Rep. – 12/31/2025
Treasurer: Barbara Horst – Penn Township Rep. – 12/31/2027
Assistant Secretary/Treasurer: Bryan Pastor Manheim Borough Rep. – 12/31/2026
Michael Connelly – Manheim Borough Rep. – 12/31/2027
Randall Lauver – Manheim Borough Rep. – 12/31/2027
See Committees Here
Funding Sources
Rates & Budgets
Rates
Resolution 8-2022 Fee Schedule for 2023 Effective 01.20.2023
Resolution 4-2021 Fee Schedule for 2022
Budgets
Operations and Maintenance Budgets
2023 Water Operation & Maintenance Budget
2023 Wastewater Operations & Maintenance Budget
Capital Budgets
Water Quality
The annual Consumer Confidence Reports (CCR), also known as a “water quality report”, or “drinking water quality report” is an opportunity for us to share with you about the status of your water quality and the measures taken to assure its quality and safety. Each year we compile the results of our daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, annual, and multi-annual tests into a mailer sent to each customer.
If you live in a property where you do not receive direct communications from MAWSA such as an apartment, copies are sent to your property owner. Our annual report may also be found by clicking here.
Printed copies are available at our office during normal business hours, or we can email a copy to you. Just reach out via our contact us page and we will provide one.
More About Your Water
Source
MAWSA utilizes 2 wells drilled into the Eplea formation aquifer, which lies approximately 200 feet below the Earth’s surface. Raw water is drawn, treated and stored, for transmission to our customer base. Having a safe source of water supply is very important to what we do, and we encourage all to protect ground water sources. Learn more about source water protection here.
Hardness
In general, the average the water hardness is 17.48 grains per gallon, or 299 total hardness as CaCO3.
Calcium
In general, the average Calcium content is 90 mg/l.
Fluoride
MAWSA does not participate in the addition of chemical Fluoride in its system; however, we do test for naturally occurring Fluoride, which is present.
Magnesium
In general, the average Magneisum is 18.3 mg/l.
Lead Safety
YouTube Video from AWWA regarding lead safety and removal.
Your Team
ADMINISTRATIVE
MANAGER Charles Heisey
BILLING ADMINISTRATOR Candace Hoover
BILLING CLERK Sara Schreffler
FINANCIAL COMPTROLLER Deb Tobias
OPERATIONS
OPERATIONS MANAGER David Schreffler
LABORATORY TECHNICIAN – David Musser
LEAD COLLECTION & DISTRIBUTION TECHNICIAN Paul Bell
WATER/WASTEWATER OPERATOR 1 Robert Eichelberger
ASSISTANT MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN Michael Ebersole
LEAD MAINTENANCE MECHANIC Larry Minnich
LEAD WATER OPERATOR Mark Tyson
COLLECTION & DISTRIBUTION TECHNICIAN Keary Smith
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
Authority Solicitor
Daniel Desmond Esquire – Barley Snyder LLC
Authority Engineer
Jamie Lorah, PE – SSM Group
Authority Auditor
Mike Reiner, CPA – Sager, Swisher & Company LLC
Authority Clean Water and Environmental Solicitor and Consultant
Gary B. Cohen Esquire – Hall & Associates
William T. Hall PE. – Hall & Associates
Consultant
Carl Kline, Jr. – Kline Water Solutions, LLC